We are pleased to send you our spring edition of the GFSE newsletter, containing updates on recent activities of the Global Forum on Sustainable Energy, important events and news from other stakeholders working towards a sustainable energy future for all.

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The Global Forum on Sustainable Energy

First GFSE Activity Report available!

Source: Shutterstock

The newly published first GFSE Activity Report looks back on the past 15 years of the Global Forum on Sustainable Energy. Through 8 global and several regional conferences, GFSE has established itself as a truly global platform, yet one with a human face – because of the frequent interactions of members of the network with each other. [more]

Save the Date: Vienna Energy Forum 2015

Source: UNIDO

From the 18th to the 20th of June 2015, just a few months before the Sustainable Development Goals Summit in New York and the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP 21) in Paris, the Vienna Energy Forum (VEF) will take place. The bi-yearly Vienna Energy Forum will provide a high-level platform for policy makers, energy practitioners and thought leaders to engage in a dialogue on crucial sustainable energy issues related to capacity building, knowledge exchange, policy, technology and inclusive development. GFSE will be holding a side event on "Green Building Concepts and Policies".[more]

Energy: Finally Recognized as a Key Driver for Sustainable Development?

Source: G. Altmann, pixelio.de

How do we move towards sustainable development? How do we ensure the provision of water, food, and natural resources for a world population expected to peak around 9 billion people by mid-century? How do we balance economic growth with social justice and with a management of natural resources that respects the earth's carrying capacity and takes into consideration future generations' needs? And how does energy fit into the equation?[more]

District Energy in Cities: Unlocking Renewables and Energy Efficiency

Source: UNEP

Cities nowadays account for more than 70% of global energy demand, so their energy policy choices are central to the desired transition to sustainable energy. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) conducted a survey on low-carbon cities worldwide to identify the key factors underlying their success in scaling up energy efficiency and renewable energy. In most cases, the implementation of district energy systems proved to be a best-practice approach for providing sustainable heating and cooling. Tackling the energy challenges we now face requires the smart use of synergies, energy storage, new approaches to governance and flexibility in demand.[more]

Sustainable Energy For All Forum 2015, 17-21 May 2015

Source: SE4ALL

The Second UN Sustainable Energy For All Forum on "Financing Sustainable Energy For All" will be taking place from 17-21 May 2015 in New York. This event will feature the launch of the Global Sustainable Energy for All Commitment Platform and for the first time ever, a Global Energy Ministerial Dialogue on Energy in the Post-2015 Era. World leaders and experts will come together to discuss the progress on the SE4All initiative, share knowledge and success stories, and present ideas to catalyze finance to reach the goals. Public and private sector actions and commitments to SE4ALL will feature strongly on the agenda. [more]

Providing Assistance to Renewable Energy Entrepreneurs in West Africa

Source: IRENA

Recent figures by the International Energy Agency (IEA) show that still nearly 1.3 billion people, mostly in Africa and Asia, are afflicted by energy poverty. As electricity demand continues to rise in West Africa, innovative solutions are needed to extend access to modern energy services. In many cases, renewable energy entrepreneurs undertake this task, who often face a lack of proper institutional and regulatory frameworks and a business environment that is not very conducive to private investment.[more]

Capacity Development Workshop on Mainstreaming the SDG on Energy

Source: U.Steinbrich, pixelio.de

In order to support the Post-2015 development agenda, the Division for Sustainable Development in partnership with the UN Statistics Division, UN-Energy, Sustainable Energy for All, the World Bank and the International Energy Agency organized a workshop on capacity development for "Mainstreaming Energy Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Targets and Indicators into Statistical Programmes of Selected Latin American Countries" from 4-6 February 2015 in Panama City, Panama. The status of national statistical programmes and the challenges and advantages for adopting and modifying the global energy SDGs, targets and indicators at the national level were discussed at the workshop. [more]

Unique Partnership for Sustainable Energy for All in the Americas

Source: SE4ALL

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) met in Washington D.C. on February 23, 2015 to combine their knowledge and resources in support of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative in the Americas. An overarching work place shall be created between these institutions, where the activities of each institution complements the mission of the others. [more]

1 Gigaton Coalition: Saving Gigatons of CO2 Emissions

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The Global Forum on Sustainable Energy is a neutral multi-stakeholder platform facilitating international dialogue on energy for sustainable development by taking into account the special interests and challenges of developing countries. GFSE aims at the establishment of a sustainable world energy system from a social, economic and environmental perspective.